Reel Life Productions
Encyclopedia
Reel Life Productions, also known as Gothom Records, is an independent record label
based in Detroit, Michigan
that specializes in hip hop music
. The label was founded in 1988 by James H. Smith and his younger brother, rapper Esham
. Since its formation, RLP had released much of Esham's discography, and had been home to a number of other artists, including Natas
, Dice
, Mastamind
, T-N-T, Kool Keith
and The Dayton Family
.
While the label was once cited as a vibrant example of independent success in Detroit hip hop, Reel Life Productions' peak in success occurred under distribution through TVT Records
and an association with Overcore Records.
James Smith was imprisoned in 1994, and Esham later signed with Psychopathic Records
in 2002, achieving his highest level of success with Psychopathic's support. Since leaving Psychopathic and reforming Reel Life Productions, however, Esham has been the label's primary artist, and has not achieved much success without Psychopathic.
, a rapper. According to Esham, by the time he had started to rap
, Detroit did not have a prominent hip hop
scene. Smith states that "Everybody was just imitating what everybody else was doing". His older brother, James, encouraged him to seriously pursue a career as a rapper because of the city's limited hip hop scene. At the age of 13, Esham released his debut album, Boomin' Words from Hell
, in 1989. In 1990, Reel Life Productions reissued his debut album with an alternate track listing and artwork. Esham found it difficult to develop a fanbase, because many wrote off the dark content of his lyrics and imagery as shock value
, while hip hop fans did not connect to Esham's albums because of his heavy metal
influences.
Esham met Mastamind
as a student at Osborne High School, who gave him a three-song demo tape of his music, leading the two to form the group with Esham's longtime friend, T-N-T, deciding on the name Natas, an acronym for "Nation Ahead of Time And Space". In 1991, Esham met Joseph Bruce
, a member of the group Inner City Posse
, who praised Esham and Reel Life Productions, and gave Esham a copy of the group's EP Dog Beats
, beginning the two rappers' friendship and professional relationship.
In 1992, Natas released its first album, Life After Death
on Reel Life. Following the release of this album, Esham, Natas and Reel Life Productions were the subject of much controversy when a 17-year-old fan killed himself while smoking cannabis
and playing Russian roulette
while listening to Life After Death.
In 1994, James was incarcerated for rape, leaving the future of Reel Life in doubt. In 1995, Reel Life began its association with the Detroit rapper Dice
, who did not sign a contract with the label, but made appearances on albums by Esham, Natas and Mastamind. Reel Life released Dice's debut studio album, The Neighborhoodshittalka
the following year. Dice left the label following the album's release, claiming that he received no royalties from his album, which he estimated to have sold 200,000 copies. Esham's album Dead Flowerz
was the first RLP album to appear on a Billboard
chart, peaking at #38 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
. However, the label went bankrupt that year.
, which charted at #57 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Esham later signed a distribution deal with Overcore, a subsidiary of Overture Music, which later became distributed by TVT Records
. Gothom signed the band 20 Dead Flower Children and released their album Candy, Toy Guns & Television on June 24, 1997. The following year, Gothom signed the rap metal
band The Workhorse Movement, and released the band's EP Rhythm & Soul Cartel. The following year, Gothom announced that it would release The Workhorse Movement's debut album, Sons of the Pioneers, but the band left the label and signed with Roadrunner Records
, which released the album in association with Overcore, with no involvement from Gothom.
In 2001, Gothom signed Kool Keith
and The Dayton Family
, and had its highest charting success with Dayton Family member Bootleg's solo release Hated By Many Loved By Few, which peaked at #174 on the Billboard 200
, #6 on Independent Albums
, and #38 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Gothom achieved the most number of chart positions with Esham's Tongues
, which peaked at #195 on the Billboard 200, #7 on Independent Albums, #46 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and #14 on Top Heatseekers
. Tongues featured appearances by Kool Keith, The Dayton Family and Insane Clown Posse
's Violent J
. However, following this success, TVT and Overture went bankrupt, forcing Esham to fold RLP.
, releasing two solo albums before leaving that label and reforming Reel Life Productions. Since leaving Psychopathic, however, Esham's only charting releases have been the mixtape
The Butcher Shop, which peaked at #86 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and Sacrificial Lambz
, which peaked at #42 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and #50 on Top Heatseekers. In 2009, Esham and Natas performed at the Gathering of the Juggalos
. Following the event, a friend of Esham's handed Joseph Bruce a copy of Esham's album I Ain't Cha Homey, which depicted a clown committing suicide with a gun on the front cover. Bruce listened to the album and saw it as a diss towards Insane Clown Posse. While Esham claimed that the album was not a diss in his podcast, the album strained the relationship between Bruce and Esham, and the two have not spoken since its release. In 2011, Gothom released the documentary Death of an Indie Label, which was originally announced as a bonus feature on a deluxe edition of DMT Sessions, but was instead uploaded onto Gothom Inc.'s YouTube channel. In 2011, Reel Life signed a new artist, Chupacabra. Esham produces a semi-regular podcast
, which appears on his official website.
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
based in Detroit, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
that specializes in hip hop music
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
. The label was founded in 1988 by James H. Smith and his younger brother, rapper Esham
Esham
Rashaam Attica Smith, better known by his stage name Esham , is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan known for his hallucinogenic style of hip hop which he refers to as "acid rap", which fuses rock-based beats and lyrics involving subjects such as death, drug use, evil, paranoia and...
. Since its formation, RLP had released much of Esham's discography, and had been home to a number of other artists, including Natas
Natas (group)
Natas is an American hip hop group from Detroit, Michigan.-History:Esham met Mastamind as a student at Osborne High School, who gave him a three-song demo tape of his music, leading the two to form the group with Esham's longtime friend, T-N-T, deciding on the name Natas, an acronym for "Nation...
, Dice
Dice (rapper)
-Biography:Dice began his career in 1992, signing with World One Records, who released his debut album, The 40 Made Me Do It through Raw Dogg Records. After touring with Ultramagnetic MCs, Ice Cube and Da Lench Mob, Dice began his association with Reel Life Productions, although he did not sign a...
, Mastamind
Mastamind
Mastamind is an American rapper from Detroit. A founding member of Natas, he was formerly signed with Reel Life Productions before forming his own label, Toxsic Records.-Biography:...
, T-N-T, Kool Keith
Kool Keith
Keith Matthew Thornton, better known by his stage name Kool Keith, is an American rapper from The Bronx, New York. A founding member of Ultramagnetic MCs, Kool Keith has recorded prolifically both as a solo artist and in group collaborations. Kool Keith is the self-proclaimed inventor of...
and The Dayton Family
The Dayton Family
The Dayton Family is an American hip hop group from Flint, Michigan. The group is composed of Ira Dorsey, Raheen Peterson, and Matt Hinkle, who perform under the respective personas of Bootleg, Shoestring, and Backstabba...
.
While the label was once cited as a vibrant example of independent success in Detroit hip hop, Reel Life Productions' peak in success occurred under distribution through TVT Records
TVT Records
TVT Records was an independent US record label founded by Steve Gottlieb. Over the course of its 25 year history the label released some 25 Gold, Platinum and Multi-platinum releases. Its roster included Nine Inch Nails, Ja Rule, Lil Jon, Underworld, The KLF, Sevendust, Brian Jonestown Massacre and...
and an association with Overcore Records.
James Smith was imprisoned in 1994, and Esham later signed with Psychopathic Records
Psychopathic Records
Psychopathic Records, also known as "The Hatchet", is an American independent record label based in Farmington Hills, Michigan that specializes in hip hop music. The label was founded in 1991 by Alex Abbiss and hip hop group Insane Clown Posse....
in 2002, achieving his highest level of success with Psychopathic's support. Since leaving Psychopathic and reforming Reel Life Productions, however, Esham has been the label's primary artist, and has not achieved much success without Psychopathic.
Establishment (1988—1997)
James H. Smith founded the label in 1988 with his younger brother, EshamEsham
Rashaam Attica Smith, better known by his stage name Esham , is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan known for his hallucinogenic style of hip hop which he refers to as "acid rap", which fuses rock-based beats and lyrics involving subjects such as death, drug use, evil, paranoia and...
, a rapper. According to Esham, by the time he had started to rap
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
, Detroit did not have a prominent hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
scene. Smith states that "Everybody was just imitating what everybody else was doing". His older brother, James, encouraged him to seriously pursue a career as a rapper because of the city's limited hip hop scene. At the age of 13, Esham released his debut album, Boomin' Words from Hell
Boomin' Words from Hell
Boomin' Words from Hell is the debut album of Esham A. Smith. It was first released in 1989, when Smith was 13 years old, and was reissued the following year.-Lyrical themes:...
, in 1989. In 1990, Reel Life Productions reissued his debut album with an alternate track listing and artwork. Esham found it difficult to develop a fanbase, because many wrote off the dark content of his lyrics and imagery as shock value
Shock value
Shock value is the potential of an action , image, text, or other form of communication to provoke a reaction of disgust, shock, anger, fear, or similar negative emotions.-Shock value as humor:...
, while hip hop fans did not connect to Esham's albums because of his heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
influences.
Esham met Mastamind
Mastamind
Mastamind is an American rapper from Detroit. A founding member of Natas, he was formerly signed with Reel Life Productions before forming his own label, Toxsic Records.-Biography:...
as a student at Osborne High School, who gave him a three-song demo tape of his music, leading the two to form the group with Esham's longtime friend, T-N-T, deciding on the name Natas, an acronym for "Nation Ahead of Time And Space". In 1991, Esham met Joseph Bruce
Joseph Bruce
Joseph Frank "Joe" Bruce is an American rapper, record producer, professional wrestler and actor. Bruce is most commonly known as Violent J of the Insane Clown Posse . He is the co-founder of the record label Psychopathic Records, with fellow ICP rapper Joseph Utsler and their former manager,...
, a member of the group Inner City Posse
Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse is an American hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan. The group is composed of Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, who perform under the respective personas of the "wicked clowns" Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. Insane Clown Posse performs a style of hardcore hip hop known as horrorcore...
, who praised Esham and Reel Life Productions, and gave Esham a copy of the group's EP Dog Beats
Dog Beats
Dog Beats is a 1991 EP by Inner City Posse, later to be known as Insane Clown Posse. It was the first record ever released by Psychopathic Records.- Production :...
, beginning the two rappers' friendship and professional relationship.
In 1992, Natas released its first album, Life After Death
Life After Death (Natas album)
Life After Death is the debut album of Natas, released in 1992.- Controversy :Following the release of this album, Esham, Natas and Reel Life Productions were the subject of much controversy when a 17-year-old fan killed himself while smoking cannabis and playing Russian roulette while listening to...
on Reel Life. Following the release of this album, Esham, Natas and Reel Life Productions were the subject of much controversy when a 17-year-old fan killed himself while smoking cannabis
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
and playing Russian roulette
Russian roulette
Russian roulette is a potentially lethal game of chance in which participants place a single round in a revolver, spin the cylinder, place the muzzle against their head and pull the trigger...
while listening to Life After Death.
In 1994, James was incarcerated for rape, leaving the future of Reel Life in doubt. In 1995, Reel Life began its association with the Detroit rapper Dice
Dice (rapper)
-Biography:Dice began his career in 1992, signing with World One Records, who released his debut album, The 40 Made Me Do It through Raw Dogg Records. After touring with Ultramagnetic MCs, Ice Cube and Da Lench Mob, Dice began his association with Reel Life Productions, although he did not sign a...
, who did not sign a contract with the label, but made appearances on albums by Esham, Natas and Mastamind. Reel Life released Dice's debut studio album, The Neighborhoodshittalka
The Neighborhoodshittalka
The Neighborhoodshittalka is the second album by Detroit rapper Dice. Released in 1996, the album is Dice's only release on Reel Life Productions, following appearances on other albums by the label, including Natas' Doubelievengod and Mastamind's EP Lickkuidrano, Dice estimated that the album sold...
the following year. Dice left the label following the album's release, claiming that he received no royalties from his album, which he estimated to have sold 200,000 copies. Esham's album Dead Flowerz
Dead Flowerz
Dead Flowerz is the fifth studio album by Esham A. Smith. Released in 1996, it peaked at #38 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.-Track listing:All tracks by Esham A...
was the first RLP album to appear on a Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
chart, peaking at #38 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
. However, the label went bankrupt that year.
Rebranding as Gothom (1997—2001)
In June 1997, Esham rebranded Reel Life Productions as Gothom Records, and released the album Bruce Wayne: Gothom City 1987Bruce Wayne: Gothom City 1987
Bruce Wayne: Gothom City 1987 is the sixth studio album by Esham A. Smith, released in 1997.-Track listing:# "Comerica"# "You Still Ain't Shit to Me" feat TNT & Moebadis# "7 Mile Road"# "Lowlafalana"# "Change Ya Mind" feat Mastamind & TNT...
, which charted at #57 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Esham later signed a distribution deal with Overcore, a subsidiary of Overture Music, which later became distributed by TVT Records
TVT Records
TVT Records was an independent US record label founded by Steve Gottlieb. Over the course of its 25 year history the label released some 25 Gold, Platinum and Multi-platinum releases. Its roster included Nine Inch Nails, Ja Rule, Lil Jon, Underworld, The KLF, Sevendust, Brian Jonestown Massacre and...
. Gothom signed the band 20 Dead Flower Children and released their album Candy, Toy Guns & Television on June 24, 1997. The following year, Gothom signed the rap metal
Rap metal
Rap metal is a subgenre of rap rock which fuses vocal and instrumental elements of hip hop music with heavy metal.-History:Rap metal originated from rap rock, a genre fusing vocal and instrumental elements of hip hop with rock...
band The Workhorse Movement, and released the band's EP Rhythm & Soul Cartel. The following year, Gothom announced that it would release The Workhorse Movement's debut album, Sons of the Pioneers, but the band left the label and signed with Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
, which released the album in association with Overcore, with no involvement from Gothom.
In 2001, Gothom signed Kool Keith
Kool Keith
Keith Matthew Thornton, better known by his stage name Kool Keith, is an American rapper from The Bronx, New York. A founding member of Ultramagnetic MCs, Kool Keith has recorded prolifically both as a solo artist and in group collaborations. Kool Keith is the self-proclaimed inventor of...
and The Dayton Family
The Dayton Family
The Dayton Family is an American hip hop group from Flint, Michigan. The group is composed of Ira Dorsey, Raheen Peterson, and Matt Hinkle, who perform under the respective personas of Bootleg, Shoestring, and Backstabba...
, and had its highest charting success with Dayton Family member Bootleg's solo release Hated By Many Loved By Few, which peaked at #174 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, #6 on Independent Albums
Independent Albums
The Billboard Independent Albums is a chart of the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays in the United States, compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is used to list artists who are not signed to major labels...
, and #38 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Gothom achieved the most number of chart positions with Esham's Tongues
Tongues (Esham album)
Tongues is the eighth studio album by Esham, released in 2001. The album was also the final album Esham would release on Gothom until Sacrificial Lambz in 2009.-Track listing:-Personnel:*Esham - vocals, rap*Dayton Family - performer...
, which peaked at #195 on the Billboard 200, #7 on Independent Albums, #46 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and #14 on Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
. Tongues featured appearances by Kool Keith, The Dayton Family and Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse is an American hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan. The group is composed of Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, who perform under the respective personas of the "wicked clowns" Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. Insane Clown Posse performs a style of hardcore hip hop known as horrorcore...
's Violent J
Joseph Bruce
Joseph Frank "Joe" Bruce is an American rapper, record producer, professional wrestler and actor. Bruce is most commonly known as Violent J of the Insane Clown Posse . He is the co-founder of the record label Psychopathic Records, with fellow ICP rapper Joseph Utsler and their former manager,...
. However, following this success, TVT and Overture went bankrupt, forcing Esham to fold RLP.
Decline (2006 onward)
After RLP folded, Esham signed with Psychopathic RecordsPsychopathic Records
Psychopathic Records, also known as "The Hatchet", is an American independent record label based in Farmington Hills, Michigan that specializes in hip hop music. The label was founded in 1991 by Alex Abbiss and hip hop group Insane Clown Posse....
, releasing two solo albums before leaving that label and reforming Reel Life Productions. Since leaving Psychopathic, however, Esham's only charting releases have been the mixtape
Mixtape
A Mix Tape or Mixed Tape is a compilation of songs recorded in a specific order, traditionally onto an audio Compact Cassette.A Mix Tape, which usually reflects the musical tastes of its compiler, can range from a casually selected list of favorite songs, to a conceptual mix of songs linked by a...
The Butcher Shop, which peaked at #86 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and Sacrificial Lambz
Sacrificial Lambz
The album peaked at #50 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart and at #42 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.-Track listing:-Charts:Album - Billboard...
, which peaked at #42 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and #50 on Top Heatseekers. In 2009, Esham and Natas performed at the Gathering of the Juggalos
Gathering of the Juggalos
The Gathering of the Juggalos is an annual festival put on by Psychopathic Records, featuring performances by the entire label as well as numerous well-known musical groups and underground artists. It was founded by Robert Bruce, Insane Clown Posse , and their label in 2000...
. Following the event, a friend of Esham's handed Joseph Bruce a copy of Esham's album I Ain't Cha Homey, which depicted a clown committing suicide with a gun on the front cover. Bruce listened to the album and saw it as a diss towards Insane Clown Posse. While Esham claimed that the album was not a diss in his podcast, the album strained the relationship between Bruce and Esham, and the two have not spoken since its release. In 2011, Gothom released the documentary Death of an Indie Label, which was originally announced as a bonus feature on a deluxe edition of DMT Sessions, but was instead uploaded onto Gothom Inc.'s YouTube channel. In 2011, Reel Life signed a new artist, Chupacabra. Esham produces a semi-regular podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
, which appears on his official website.
Current
| Artist | Year signed | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Esham Esham Rashaam Attica Smith, better known by his stage name Esham , is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan known for his hallucinogenic style of hip hop which he refers to as "acid rap", which fuses rock-based beats and lyrics involving subjects such as death, drug use, evil, paranoia and... |
— | The cofounder of Reel Life Productions, Esham (East Side Hoes And Money) is known for his hallucinogenic style of hip hop Hip hop music Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted... , which fuses rock Rock music Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music... -based beats and lyrics involving subjects such as death, drug use, evil, paranoia and sex. This style, which Esham refers to as "acid rap", strongly influenced Eminem Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition... , Kid Rock Kid Rock Robert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations... and Insane Clown Posse Insane Clown Posse Insane Clown Posse is an American hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan. The group is composed of Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, who perform under the respective personas of the "wicked clowns" Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. Insane Clown Posse performs a style of hardcore hip hop known as horrorcore... . |
| Daniel Jordan | 2008 | An American rapper from the San Francisco Bay Area San Francisco Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas... . |
| Chupacabra | 2011 | An American rapper. Reel Life promotional materials claim that she had recently been released from a psychiatric ward before being signed to the label. |
Former
| Artist | Year(s) signed | Albums released on Reel Life Productions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dice Dice (rapper) -Biography:Dice began his career in 1992, signing with World One Records, who released his debut album, The 40 Made Me Do It through Raw Dogg Records. After touring with Ultramagnetic MCs, Ice Cube and Da Lench Mob, Dice began his association with Reel Life Productions, although he did not sign a... |
1995—1996 | |
An American rapper from Detroit, Michigan, Dice released the album The Neighborhoodshittalka on Reel Life, then left due to a disagreement with the label. |
| 20 Dead Flower Children | 1997—2000 | |
A rock Rock music Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music... band from Detroit, Michigan consisting of drummer Jason "J-Hauz" Garrison, bassist David "Dirt-E" Biganeiss, singer Dennis "D-Hauz" Hogan and guitarist Keith "The Suit" Lowers. The band released one album on Gothom, Candy, Toy Guns & Television. |
| The Workhorse Movement | 1998—2000 | |
A rap metal Rap metal Rap metal is a subgenre of rap rock which fuses vocal and instrumental elements of hip hop music with heavy metal.-History:Rap metal originated from rap rock, a genre fusing vocal and instrumental elements of hip hop with rock... band from Detroit, Michigan consisting of vocalist Myron, guitarist Freedom, bassist Jay and drummer Joe Mackie. The band released one EP Extended play An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact... with Gothom before signing with Roadrunner Records Roadrunner Records Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:... . |
| T-N-T | 1992–1999; 2006–2009 | — | An American rapper from Detroit, T-N-T is founding member of Natas, with Esham and Mastamind. A solo album, Suicide Bomber, was planned for a Spring 2009 release. |
| The Dayton Family The Dayton Family The Dayton Family is an American hip hop group from Flint, Michigan. The group is composed of Ira Dorsey, Raheen Peterson, and Matt Hinkle, who perform under the respective personas of Bootleg, Shoestring, and Backstabba... |
2001 | |
Composed of Bootleg, Shoestring and Ghetto E at the time, the name Dayton Family derives from Dayton Avenue, one of the most crime-ridden streets in their hometown. Released solo albums on Gothom, and later signed with Hatchet House Hatchet House Hatchet House is the sub-label of independent record label Psychopathic Records, based in Royal Oak, Michigan in the United States, which was formed in 2007 by American hip hop group Insane Clown Posse.-History:... . |
| Kool Keith Kool Keith Keith Matthew Thornton, better known by his stage name Kool Keith, is an American rapper from The Bronx, New York. A founding member of Ultramagnetic MCs, Kool Keith has recorded prolifically both as a solo artist and in group collaborations. Kool Keith is the self-proclaimed inventor of... |
2001 | |
A founding member of Ultramagnetic MCs Ultramagnetic MCs The Ultramagnetic MC's is an American hip hop group based in Bronx, New York. Originally founded by Kool Keith, the group is composed of Ced Gee, TR Love, and Moe Love. Tim Dog became an unofficial member in 1989. In 1990, DJ Jaycee was added as Roadmanager and backup DJ. A former member, Rooney... , Kool Keith has recorded prolifically both as a solo artist and in group collaborations, and is the self-proclaimed inventor of horrorcore Horrorcore Horrorcore is a subgenre of hip hop music based in horror-themed lyrical content and imagery. While the style is rarely popular, some performers have sold well in the mainstream scene.-Origins:... . He released the album Spankmaster Spankmaster 'Spankmaster is the sixth album by Kool Keith. It was released on June 5, 2001 on Esham's Gothom Records. The album was mildly successful making it to #48 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, #11 on the Independent Albums and #16 on the Top Heatseekers charts in the U.S.-Track listing:#"Concert Intro"-... on Gothom. |
| Natas Natas (group) Natas is an American hip hop group from Detroit, Michigan.-History:Esham met Mastamind as a student at Osborne High School, who gave him a three-song demo tape of his music, leading the two to form the group with Esham's longtime friend, T-N-T, deciding on the name Natas, an acronym for "Nation... |
1992—1999; 2006 | |
A hip hop group from Detroit consisting of Esham, Mastamind Mastamind Mastamind is an American rapper from Detroit. A founding member of Natas, he was formerly signed with Reel Life Productions before forming his own label, Toxsic Records.-Biography:... and TNT. The group's name is an acronym which has meant both "Nation Ahead of Time And Space" and "Niggaz Ahead of Time And Space". |
| Doc Hollywood Hustle | 2008 | — | An American rapper, Doc Hollywood Hustle produced tracks for Natas. A debut album, Speaking From Experience, was planned for release. He is currently in prison. |
| Filthy Rockwell | 2008 | — | An American rapper from Detroit, Filthy Rockwell produced tracks for Esham and made his solo debut on the mixtape The Butcher Shop in 2008. A debut album, Enemy of the State, was planned for a Summer 2009 release. |
| Poe Whosaine | 2008 | — | An American rapper from Detroit, Michigan. Later founded his own label, Whosainiyak Muzik. |
| Mastamind Mastamind Mastamind is an American rapper from Detroit. A founding member of Natas, he was formerly signed with Reel Life Productions before forming his own label, Toxsic Records.-Biography:... |
1992—2003; 2009 | |
A student at Osborne High School, where Esham attended, Mastamind gave him a three-song demo tape of his music, which led to him being signed to Reel Life Productions and joining the group Natas Natas (group) Natas is an American hip hop group from Detroit, Michigan.-History:Esham met Mastamind as a student at Osborne High School, who gave him a three-song demo tape of his music, leading the two to form the group with Esham's longtime friend, T-N-T, deciding on the name Natas, an acronym for "Nation... . Mastamind released two solo albums and an EP on the label and has since formed his own label, Toxsic Records. |